Saturday, March 7, 2015

XU Rush, Nuggets beat Martin Methodist in AUM Invitational

2014-15 team photo, XU women's tennis
ROSTER
MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Xavier University of Louisiana's men's and women's tennis teams extended several streaks Friday in victories against Martin Methodist in the opening round of the AUM Invitational.

The Gold Rush, ranked sixth in the NAIA, won 7-2. The Gold Nuggets, ranked seventh, won 9-0.

The XU men (7-1) have won their last six duals, their longest streak since the second half of the 2012 season. The Gold Nuggets (8-5) have won four in a row.

Gold Rush highlights included:
  •  Nikita Soifer improving to 5-0 in singles and 5-0 in doubles this semester. After teaming with Kyle Montrel for an 8-6 doubles victory against Ramiro Vargas and Cristian Arias, Soifer beat Arias 7-5, 6-4.
  •  Montrel winning his sixth consecutive singles match, 6-2, 6-2 against Vargas at the top flight. Montrel is 8-0 in doubles this semester, 4-0 with Soifer.
  •  Manav Chakma and Tushar Mandlekar extending their doubles win streak to six. They defeated Salomon Persson and Daniel Emirzian 8-3. Mandlekar won for the sixth straight time in singles, a 6-3, 6-2 decision against Nicolas Galleguillo which clinched the dual.
Gold Nuggets highlights included:
  • Nour Abbes beating Gema Bolada Yusta 6-1, 6-0 for her 39th singles victory in 40 XU decisions. Abbes is 22-1 this season and 9-0 this semester.
  • Brion Flowers and Brandi Nelson defeating Victoria Ryjak and Laura Ariza 8-1. Flowers and Nelson are 4-0 in doubles this semester.
  •  Newcomers Caroline Vernet and Jana van der Walt producing their third consecutive singles victories. Vernet defeated Brenda Rique 6-2, 6-1, and van der Walt beat Ariza 6-0, 6-0.
Clinching the dual for the Gold Nuggets was Flowers, who defeated Michaela Maher 6-0, 6-1.

Martin Methodist's men are 1-4, and the women are 0-5.

Both XU teams will play Cumberland at noon Saturday. Cumberland's men are No. 10 in the NAIA, and the women received votes in this week's coaches poll.

Results:  Men    Women 

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

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